Quantum of Solace, with Daniel Craig returning as James Bond and va-voomish Olga Kurylenko satisfying the babe quotient in the
first direct sequel in the spy franchise, pulled in an estimated $68-plus million over opening weekend, nearly $30 million
more than its predecessor, 2006’s Casino Royale. The debut also easily bested the previous opening weekend record for a Bond flick, which was $47 million for 2002’s Die Another Day.

DreamWorks Animation’s Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, which debuted at
No. 1 the previous weekend, slipped to second place with just over $35 million in receipts,
raising its 10-day domestic total to $117 million. Rounding out the top 10 were the R-rated comedy Role Models ($11.2 million, $37.6 million overall); High School Musical 3: Senior Year ($5.7 million, $84.2 million cumulatively); Clint Eastwood’s Changeling, starring Angelina Jolie ($4.3 million, $27.6 million overall); Kevin Smith’s raunchy Zack and Miri Make a Porno ($3.1 million, $26.5 million overall); Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac’s Soul Men ($2.4 million, $9.4 million cumulatively); The Secret Life of Bees ($2.3 million, $33.6 million overall); the fifth installment in the Saw horror franchise ($1.8 million, $55.4 million overall); and the wince-inducing Beverly Hills Chihuahua ($1.6 million, $90.9 million overall). In limited release, Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire opened to $360,000 at 10 theaters, and A Christmas Tale, also starring Quantum of Solace villain Mathieu Almaric, opened to $63,800 on seven screens.